For Man City to continue evolving, it’s essential for Pep Guardiola that he’s given total autonomy over how he wishes to staff his first-team squad.
Those players that don’t subscribe to his way of thinking, whoever they may be, are dispensed with without a second thought or backward glance. Pep’s way or no way.
Given City’s financial might, the Catalan coach has the luxury of knowing that if he does lose any of his players, for a multitude of different reasons, he’s able to bring in someone else of sufficient quality.
That’s a situation that’s not afforded too many other managers in world football, let alone the Premier League.
It’s perhaps with that in mind that Joao Cancelo was able to be offloaded to Bayern Munich, though City can’t have expected that the Bavarians would send him back at the end of the 2022/23 campaign with a polite thanks but no thanks.
News #Cancelo: Understand Joao has many options. Barcelona is still one of them. Talks took place. But they can’t push for him at this stage because of their financial situation.
Bayern has taken the decision not to trigger the option to buy. A permanent deal was very unlikely… pic.twitter.com/2Pu81AX9UO
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) May 29, 2023
Help could well be at hand, however.
According to Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Barcelona have held talks with the player but, as of this moment, nothing can be progressed for the Arsenal target (according to football.london) because of Barca’s Financial Fair Play situation.
Once the full extent of that is more fully known, the Catalan club can plan accordingly and the potential for Cancelo lining up in the blaugrana in 2023/24 will be there.
Until then, City and the player will likely continue to scour the market for a suitable opportunity.